


Simple

by karcathy



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-30
Updated: 2013-01-30
Packaged: 2017-11-27 12:50:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/662194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karcathy/pseuds/karcathy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Your name is John Egbert, and love is complicated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Simple

 

You know you’re in love with Dave Strider. You think you know he doesn’t love you back. You think life would be so much simpler if you could just know for sure, preferably without having to ask him. You wonder why life has to be so hard.

 

You’re sitting in your living room, watching TV together. You think you’ve finally worked up the courage to tell him. Not that you love him, of course, but that you like him, in a way that isn’t strictly platonic. You’re tapping your fingers against your knees, nervously trying to think of the best way to word it.

“Hey,” you say, glancing across at him.

“Hey.”

He doesn’t look at you, he just keeps watching the screen. You try to say something, but you can’t.

“Oh, shit, is that the time?” he says, looking up at the clock, “Listen, dude, I’ve got to go, but we can talk tomorrow, okay?”

You just nod. As he leaves, you let out a small sigh. Why is everything so hard?

 

You get a little closer each time you try, but you never quite manage to say it. You begin to get frustrated – with yourself, with Dave, with everything. You tell yourself you’ll say something the next time you see him, and then the time after, then the time after that, but you never do. You promise to reward yourself if you tell him, but it’s never quite enough. You think about writing it down, and slipping it into his bag, but you can’t stand the thought of never knowing if he found it or not.

 

You drag him into your house one day after school, and tell him there’s something you’ve got to say. You wait for a moment, trying desperately to say it. It’s on the tip of your tongue, but instead you tell him you want that DVD he borrowed back, and he looks confused, obviously wondering why you got so worked up about a DVD. You want to scream that it’s not the DVD, that you love him, but you can’t. He tells you he’ll give it back tomorrow, and you nod, then let him out. You collapse against the door after he leaves, and berate yourself for not telling him.

 

The next day, he brings the DVD over to your house, and says he wants to talk to you. You follow him through to the living room, and sit next to him on the couch.

“John,” he says, turning to face you and pulling his feet up underneath him.

“Dave,” you say, mimicking his pose.

“Don’t be an idiot, this is serious.”

You nod, attempting to look serious. Your heart flutters as you think about what he could be about to say.

“Look, I think we’ve been skirting around this for a while,” he says, putting both his hands over yours and leaning in closer.

“Around what?”

He sighs, shaking his head.

“You know what.”

You stare at him blankly, hoping against hope that he means what you think he means.

“Just... I like you, okay?”

“And?”

Now he’s started, you’re determined to make him spell it out.

“Not... just as a friend.”

You nod slightly, a little smile coming onto your face.

“I also... I like you like this.”  
He leans in and kisses you, and you’re so happy, you nearly laugh. You manage to kiss him back, then pull away.

“How?”

“How what?” he asks, looking confused.

“How did you manage to say it so easily?”

He laughs.

“It wasn’t easy,” he says, shaking his head, “But it had to be said.”

You smile, linking your fingers with his, and lean in for another kiss. Now it’s out there, it feels like the easiest thing in the world.

“I love you,” you whisper, not caring if it’s too soon, or that you sound like an idiot.

“I love you too, idiot.”

“Shut up.”

Laughing, he kisses you again.

“Never,” he whispers.

You giggle. You can’t believe how easy this is.

“Can I kiss you forever?” you ask, rubbing your nose gently against his.

“You can try,” he replies, laughing.

You do.

 

Your name is John Egbert, and love is simple. It’s the simplest thing there is.


End file.
